Midwest Region

Let’s start off with the only unbeaten team left in the NCAA. The Kentucky Wildcats are most certainly a favorite to win this tournament and I see no team that is going to stop them from making the final four. I have only a few upsets in the first round in the Midwest with the top four seeds making the Sweet 16.

I think Notre Dame and their powerful offense makes it down to the Elite eight before Kentucky takes them out. Kansas should breeze through the first two rounds before hitting a wall with Notre Dame. I have Buffalo upsetting W. Virginia in the first round and Maryland taking out Buffalo in the round of 32. Notre Dame will face Kentucky in the Elite eight and that is where Notre Dame will get a rude awakening when they face Kentucky’s defense.

West

The #1 Wisconsin Badgers will skate through the first two rounds but I see them getting beat in the Sweet 16. I have UNC getting past Harvard and then Arkansas before upsetting Wisconsin. We are still waiting to see if Xavier will face Ole Miss or BYU. I think both teams can beat Xavier and I have either one of those teams moving on to face Baylor. I have my hopes set on BYU winning and taking out Baylor and moving on to the Sweet 16 to face Arizona. Arizona has that spectacular defense and that is where I have BYU’s journey coming to an end. North Carolina and Arizona should meet up in the Elite Eight and that is where I think Arizona will beat North Carolina to face Kentucky in the Final Four.

East

The East is where I have the #1 and #2 seeds meeting in the Elite 8 round with #1 Villanova moving on to the Final Four. I do not see any upsets happening in the first round other than LSU beating NC State, which is not really an upset. N. Iowa, Louisville, Virginia, and Oklahoma should all get past the first round without any problems. Providence could have their hands full with either Boise St. or Dayton but I think they pull the win out against either team. Michigan St has proven they belong here and Georgia should not hold them back at all. N. Iowa and Louisville will meet in round2 and I think N. Iowa overcomes Louisville’s defense and squeaks out a win to advance to the Sweet 16 where they will meet Villanova and most likely end their season. Providence should not make it past round 2 and I have Oklahoma as the team to stop them. In the end, I see no higher seeded teams that can beat Villanova or Virginia. Both teams have great defenses that will prove too much for any team to handle.

South

I have Duke getting by the first two rounds with no issues at all before they face Utah in the Sweet 16. Utah has not really impressed me much as of late but I do think they will get past SF Austin and most likely Georgetown before ending their season against Duke. SMU should squeak by UCLA and Iowa St will most likely breeze past UAB. I have been saying it all year, I love this Davidson team. Their last two games have been disappointments but I think they will be ready for Iowa and I have them beating them and facing Gonzaga in the next round. I think Gonzaga goes on a big run this year. They should meet Duke in the Elite 8 and then face Villanova in the Final Four.

The Final Four

I have #1 Kentucky vs. #2 Arizona and #1 Villanova vs. #2 Gonzaga. Arizona could give Kentucky their biggest challenge of the tournament but I just cannot see anyone stopping them from making it to the finals. I am sure most people do not have Gonzaga making it this far but I have them going one step further. I think they beat Villanova and move on to the Wildcats.

The National Championship game

I have Kentucky taking on Gonzaga. This would be a fun and exciting game. I think we would see a high scoring game that might even come down to the end. Like most people, I have Kentucky taking the crown. They have been stellar all year and it is their destiny to win the whole thing.